Bad Leak in Cooler

[PhattyCorpuscle]

I've had my gas and regulators inside my keg freezer for a while now, but I've added taps top the bar above it and no longer have room inside for them. I was told that all the components for the fridge are in the step and that I can just drill through the wall. I was almost done drilling through with a small hole saw when air starting leaking out of the hole, very quickly. The leak stopped when I unplugged the freezer. Does anyone know what it is I hit and if I need to get a new one before my beer gets too warm? I can't see that I hit anything in there so I'm a little bit confused. I also haven't finished drilling the hole yet, either.
Thank you.

 

[PhattyCorpuscle]

I finished drilling the hole, and I mostly see foam. There is a thin piece of metal about an inch long embedded in the bottom of the hole. I made the hole three inches from the top and three and a half inches from the front, with the hole being on the side wall. Again, it only leaks audibly when the freezer is on. Could i just feed my lines through, silicone it, and call it a day?

 

[theonetrueruss]

I think you let out the coolant and are fubar. I hope I am wrong.

 

[bschot]

If you damaged the coolant line you would need to cut a hole in the freezer being extremely careful not to damage any other lines. Repair the damaged line, fill the void with expanding foam, I think the stuff from Home Deport or Lowes would be fine. and then silicon the piece of steel back in place. And then have the freezer recharged. I could be cheaper to buy another cheap freezer. But if you know someone who does refrigeration, they might do it for the cost of parts and some beer.

 

[PhattyCorpuscle]

What is confusing me is that, first of, all, it doesn't look like I hit a pipe. And, second of all, it only leaks when it is on. I've busted a fridge before by breaking the coolant line and it leaked until it was empty and it was off the entire time. I'm going to silicone over the metal piece here and hopefully it won't leak when I turn it back on.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

Only two choices here (pick one):

1) you did not hit a line and it does not leak plugged in or not.

2) you did hit a line and it leaks when plugged in (hit past the compressor) or when it's not (hit before the compressor)

If you hit a line, then silicone, foam, duck tape, and bubble gum are not going to fix it. You need to solder / braze / weld a patch on the line. Either you pay big bucks to get that and a re-charge done or scrap the fridge.

Bob

 

[PhattyCorpuscle]

Hey Bob,
I have solder for electronics, but not for plumbing. Will that work?

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hey Bob,
I have solder for electronics, but not for plumbing. Will that work?

Hi

A lot depends on what the line is made out of. THe lines in modern stuff often are weird things. The solders they use are strange. Sealing the line is only the beginning. You then have to repair the damage to the insulation and the rest of the area around the patch. After that you need to find somebody to re-fill the refrigeration system. Around here the refrigeration guy will charge you more than the cost of a new fridge.

Bob

 

[wilserbrewer]

As said above, fixing a refrigerant line is a tricky job, unless you have the equipment and expertise, the fridge is scrap.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

Some uses for a non-cooling fridge:

1) Great for ales in the winter. Set up a controller to heat it up.

2) Around here fermentation of ales is a "warm it up" six or more months out of the year. Turn it into a fermentation chamber.

3) Grain and bugs are a bad combination. Turn it into a primo grain storage cabinet.

Bob

 

[PhattyCorpuscle]

Thanks for the tips for how to use my broken fridge. I was reluctant to drill in the first place, but someone who installs draft lines for a living told me it would be fine..
Thanks for the help everyone, I guess I'll start looking for a new one.

 

[carlisle_bob]

Hi

For future reference: Holes in the door (or top of a freezer) pretty much no problem. Holes in the wall of either one - not recommended. Holes in the top of a fridge or bottom of a freezer - might get away with it, might not.

I'd suggest shopping for a small chest freezer, they cost less and use a lot less energy. Not very hard to convert.

Bob

 

[GamehengeBrewery]

Hi

Some uses for a non-cooling fridge:

1) Great for ales in the winter. Set up a controller to heat it up.

2) Around here fermentation of ales is a "warm it up" six or more months out of the year. Turn it into a fermentation chamber.

3) Grain and bugs are a bad combination. Turn it into a primo grain storage cabinet.

Bob

That's good advice, and would make me somewhat less upset that I just ruined my freezer.

But I've learned a lesson here, and it's don't drill through the side of my freezer. That's why I'm going to build a collar!

 

[carlisle_bob]

That's good advice, and would make me somewhat less upset that I just ruined my freezer.

But I've learned a lesson here, and it's don't drill through the side of my freezer. That's why I'm going to build a collar!

Hi

Forget about the collar - go for a coffin top on a freezer. (Yes I do have a bias...).

Bob